Information about my law practice concentrating on advocacy for people with disabilities, seniors and their families. Get to know me not only as a lawyer, but my personal interests, passions and family activities.

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Independent Living

May 13, 2013

My name is John W. Quinn and I was born with cerebral palsy. I
couldn’t walk on my own until the age of four, due to being partially
paralyzed on one side of my body and my left foot being two and a half
sizes smaller than my right. I wore eye patches to help correct my
vision and heavy orthopedic shoes to straighten my spine, and endured
grueling physical therapy sessions all throughout grade school to build
up my “pipe cleaner” limbs.

I kept this all a secret in order to join the United States Navy. In
fact, I maintained the secret of my disability during my entire 20-year
military career. No one knew I had cerebral palsy as I served onboard
battleships, destroyers and aircraft carriers. I stood every watch,
participated in every drill and fought every fire. I performed at the
highest levels and retired in 2002 as a Senior Chief Petty Officer – the
second highest enlisted rank you can hold in the Navy. It was an honor
to serve my country.

I couldn’t meet the standard of fitness that the military needed from
their recruits. So what did I do? I went home and started doing that
duck walk exercise down in my basement. I did it every day for a year.
Then, I went back and took the physical again. I was the best duck
walker in the building and passed with flying colors. It took hard
work, sweat, determination and a big lie, but I was finally able to gain
inclusion into the Navy and have the career of my dreams.

When I use the word “inclusion” in relation to the working world,
many people believe that I’m asking for a lowering of a standard to fit a
need. Nothing could be further from the truth. Inclusion to me is the
opportunity to hit the same standard as anyone else. Sadly, many
people, especially those with disabilities, do not even get the chance
to show what they can do.

May 10, 2013

On the third and final day of the International Meeting for Autism Research
(IMFAR), we had a special opportunity to reflect on the importance of
holding this annual meeting outside North America for the first time in
five years.

Our keynote speaker was Maureen Durkin, PhD, MPH, professor of
population health and pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Dr. Durkin challenged us to move “toward a more inclusive world” by
building on what we know about the epidemiology of autism spectrum
disorder (ASD).

The goal of autism epidemiology is to discover what causes autism and
why it’s more common today than ever before. This is crucial for
guiding public health decisions and healthcare strategies.

Dr. Durkin’s message wasn’t your traditional IMFAR keynote speech. It
wasn’t about how the latest findings pave a clear road for future
research. It was about the challenges to autism epidemiology research
and how the road ahead may not be “paved” at all. It may be full of
wrong turns and stumbling blocks. That is, unless we take steps toward
being more “inclusive.”

May 09, 2013

Actors with developmental disabilities compete with non-disabled
performers to get roles in Hollywood. But disabled actors often are
typecast as handicapped characters. Performers enrolled in a theater
group in Inglewood want to break out of that box.

Happy Fair Housing Month! This year, we celebrate the 45th anniversary of the federal Fair Housing Act.
This would be a happier occasion if we could announce that we had
eradicated unlawful housing discrimination. We can at least take this
time to acknowledge the progress we have made.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits lenders from requiring extra income
documentation from people with disabilities when their receipt of
certain benefits already demonstrates a fixed income that is likely to
continue. The Fair Housing Act further prohibits lenders from inquiring
about the nature or severity of a disability.

April 01, 2013

A 15-year-old with Down syndrome is said to be the first American
with the chromosomal disorder to make it to the base camp of the world’s
tallest mountain.

For 10 days, Eli Reimer trekked rugged terrain in below-freezing
temperatures to make it to the base of Mt. Everest. Traveling along with
his father, Justin, and six others, the Oregon teen ultimately reached
an elevation of 17,000 feet.

Reimer was the first of his group to reach base camp, making history with his physical feat.

March 27, 2013

It seems that every year we hear of some older driver involved in a
tragic accident where pedestrians were injured or killed. These reports
inevitably bring up questions about the safety of older drivers, so
let’s look at that issue.

What does the research tell us? The
Centers for Disease Control reported in 2008 that more than 5,500 older
adults were killed and more than 183,000 injured in motor vehicle
accidents. While these are large numbers, they need to be put into the
context of the total number of older drivers.

The CDC said that in
approximately the same time period (2009) there were 33 million
licensed older drivers. This means that the percentage of those injured
or killed is very small.

In another study, the AAA followed crash
rates for a 15-year period (1995 – 2010). They found that the
mileage-based crash rates for drivers in their 70s was the same as
drivers in their 30s. For drivers in their 80s the mileage-based crash
rate was the same as drivers in their 20s.

The American Association on Health
and Disability (AAHD) has announced their 2013-2014 scholarship program for
students with disabilities. It has long been a policy of AAHD to assist those
with disabilities in pursuing higher education. Last year four scholarships
were awarded from a pool of over 100 qualified applicants.

The mission of AAHD is to contribute
to national, state, and local efforts to promote health and wellness in people
with disabilities and identify effective intervention strategies that reduce
health disparities between people with disabilities and the general

population. AAHD accomplishes its
mission through research, education and advocacy at the national, state and
community level.

To apply for this scholarship
program, applicants must be enrolled in an accredited United States university,
part time or full time if in graduate school or full time if in undergraduate
school. They must have a documented disability and be able to provide documentation.
They must also be a US citizen or legal resident living in the US.